The El Paso County Republican Party chose a Colorado Springs School District 11 school board member to replace outgoing County Commissioner Cami Bremer. 

Lauren Nelson will serve District 5, encompassing much of central Colorado Springs, after Bremer’s resignation earlier this month. 

“I will be a strong and steady force for our county,” said Nelson. 

Nelson said she was still deciding whether to finish her term on the D-11 board, which ends in December. 

As a commissioner, Nelson said she would continue her advocacy for “strong, limited government.”

“The county is headed in a really good direction, so I think maintaining the priorities and respecting TABOR for example are where I would focus,” she said. 

Former El Paso County GOP chair Vickie Tonkins also put her name in for the county position. Current chair Ken Davis said the vote was 20-20 among attendees of the vacancy committee, which was composed of party leaders, precinct leaders and county elected officials. 

The vacancy committee voted two more times with no changes to the result. On a fourth try, Nelson garnered 21 votes. 

“It was only two possible candidates; I expected it to be close,” said Davis. 

Nelson credited her win to campaigning with committee members, including seven hours of door-knocking last Saturday. 

“It was an interesting night to say the least with four rounds of voting,” she said. 

Nelson will be the first appointed commissioner under new rules governing her time in office. Bremer resigned just two days after the passage of a state bill that requires an election in the case of a county commission vacancy during every odd-year primary.

Davis previously criticized the change, which takes some appointment power away from political parties. 

‘A broken system’: El Paso County commissioner announces resignation days after major changes to appointment process

Nelson will need to defend her position this fall in the 2025 primary, when Republican and unaffiliated voters will be able to vote for their preferred candidates.

“I appreciate that the voters will have a chance in November to decide who will fill the remainder of the term,” Nelson said. 

She said she would be a candidate for the upcoming general election for District 5 in 2026. 

“I am ready to put in the hard work to maintain that seat,” she said. 

Davis said the county party would hold to its decision to no longer endorse candidates in primaries. The practice proved divisive under the leadership of Tonkins. 

“The county party does not endorse any candidate in the primary,” said Davis.